


Another Timeline

by Beastkind



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Devil Trigger (Devil May Cry), F/F, F/M, Fluff, Incest, M/M, Nightmares, POV, Plot, Post-Devil May Cry 5, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rating May Change, Self-Doubt, Self-Harm, Sin Devil Trigger (Devil May Cry), Tags May Change, Twincest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:27:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28190919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beastkind/pseuds/Beastkind
Summary: What happens when Vergil returns from Hell with his twin and he finds that everyone has had a happy life except himself? That he just can't stand the guilt for the damage he's done?He can't bear to live with his family either. Dante is happy and so is his son, and he? He seeks refuge in another dimension thanks to Yamato and hopes to be happy there.He ends up in the other world just as the worst day of his life happens. Her parents' house is on fire, only this time he wants to change his fate.
Relationships: Dante/Grue (Devil May Cry), Dante/Vergil (Devil May Cry), Kyrie/Nero (Devil May Cry)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33





	1. A new beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I can't help it, I couldn't hold back. Here is the next story that has been spitting in my head in a long time. Slowly it is temporarily emptying what I'm happy about.
> 
> As always, I'm interested in what you think of it. No idea whether something already exists here or not. Don't want to look through all of them now.
> 
> I think the story here will be more plot-heavy again. At least that's how it has been planned so far. But mostly it happens differently than I want or foresee.
> 
> Have fun reading and thank you in advance for your (hopefully many) comments!

Vergil just couldn't take it any longer. He had been back for half a year and the bliss he had all around didn't appeal to him. His brother, who he thought was as lonely as he was, had someone by his side. Grue, this man his brother had met and loved when he was Tony. He had to hold back from killing him every time he saw him. Since Vergil was currently staying with them at Devil May Cry, it was daily. He wasn't even allowed to injure him or challenge him to fight because he was human and so easily fragile. Thanks to his experiences as V, he knew it was jealousy. But how could his brother just look for someone else instead of him? He just felt superfluous and every night he heard the noises from Dante's room that made him choke. That is why he slept during the day, if at all, so he avoided seeing them both.

At night he preferred to be outside and tried to wipe out the remaining demons who always dared to crawl out. Only even that didn't improve his mood, he hated that his human side was stronger than before. He would like to cut her out again. Only he knew that it didn't work.

Just as it hadn't worked for him to spend a whole month with his son and his fiancée, not to mention the children they had taken in. Everywhere just everything reminded him that he had failed. He hadn't been there for Nero, whom he only found out about through Dante at the Qliphoth. Just as he couldn't make up the time he'd lost with Dante. They had everything under control and he? He didn't have anything. He didn't even have his familiars by his side! Griffon was gone, Shadow too, and not to forget Nightmare!

He had arrived exactly at the same point after his family house had burned down, he was standing alone. Just him and Yamato and he didn't even have the urge to gain more power, why even if everyone got along without him? He was the king of hell, only Dante was his equal and maybe his son. He had achieved everything he wanted and still it wasn't enough.

In addition, it was Dante's and his birthday today. Dante had invited everyone, everyone should celebrate at Devil May Cry and where was he? He had been outside for over an hour and stayed away from the celebration. Even his brother didn't seem to have noticed that he was gone. So why should he stay here? Yamato could cut through everything, with him he could create portals into hell, which was another dimension. Who knows what powers Yamato still had? Who knows if he could travel to other unimagined dimensions with it? He would give it a try if he died doing it, then so be it.

"Vergil? There you are!" of course he had to show up when he wanted to disappear.

"Yes Dante?" he said annoyed and turned to him, his expression illegible.

"What are you doing out here?" didn't his brother feel his inner pain? Had he really become so ignorant that he didn't notice how painful it was to see Dante happy with someone other than himself?

"What am I supposed to do in there?" he asked indifferently and looked past his brother into nothing.

"Celebrate your birthday and mine? Come on, everyone is there, even Nero and his girlfriend. Even Nico, you got along well with her as V." Vergil sighed and looked at Dante, he really didn't seem to understand.

"No, I'm going." Dante frowned.

"Where to? Hunting demons? Can't you skip this one night?" bitter realization seized him and he shook his head sadly.

"I'm going away, I'll never come back. I'm not needed here." he said emphatically, looking Dante in the eye. How much he would like to have Dante's blue eyes, his eyes were gray by now. He didn't even look like Dante's twin anymore, which saddened him even more. But what did he expect? After the fall of the tower, what Mundus had done to him. He had died and resurrected only to be split in two. In general a miracle that he was whole again.

“Why do you want to go?” Dante looked at him seriously, the joke had disappeared from his brother's eyes.

"As I said, I'm not needed here." Dante grabbed his shoulders and he let it happen that his brother shook him too.

"You can't go, I need you here." what joke was that what Dante said?

"There is no place for me by your side. You have this human, who your heart belongs to, brother mine. For me there was always only you, only it was apparently not like that with you." he said bitterly and freed himself from Dante's arms.

"Or do you choose me and leave him behind? Make up your mind!" the shocked expression on Dante's face told him everything.

His brother had never loved him the way he did. "You see, I'm unnecessary." with that he turned away and bare Yamato.

"What you up to?" he looked at the blade that had seldom let him down.

"Are you going back to hell?" He shook his head. "Then what? Tell me, Vergil, damn talk to me!" Vergil sighed, turned again.

"I'll test what Yamato can do. I don't want to be in this dimension anymore. Dante ..." he got closer to his brother and kissed him, at least once he wanted to taste his lips on his.

"Farewell brother mine." he said against the lips of his brother afterwards and created a portal that would hopefully lead him far away from this pain he was feeling. One step, another and finally he felt the familiar pull of the portal as he was drawn into it.

"Vergil!" his brother's scream accompanied him, but it was too late. Now there was no turning back.

* * *

Dante dropped to his knees where Vergil had left him. He still felt the warmth of his lips on his, but for how long? He had never suspected his brother had seen more in him, more than a twin. He had never given the impression that he loved him far more than brotherly. Even so, he had long doubted that, he had long assumed Vergil hated him! And now, now he couldn't even answer him. He should have stopped him, told him ... that ... He didn't know! In any case, he shouldn't have made Vergil disappear so easily.

"Dante?" he heard Grue standing at the door but was powerless to get up or answer.

"What happened? Are you not okay?" the footsteps came closer from Grue and he just couldn't look him in the eye. As long as he had been with Grue, he would see right through him.

"Hey, what's going on? Look at me Dante, didn't you want to look for Vergil?" he swallowed hard and still didn't dare look at him.

"Vergil is gone." did his voice sound normal at least?

"How? Vergil is gone?" he nodded weakly and slowly got to his feet. Let Grue help him.

"Far away. He's never coming back." he said weakly, leaning against the man at his side.

"It's my fault." again, it was his fault that his brother was gone.

"How is my father gone?" Nero's angry words didn't really make anything better.

"Vergil felt unnecessary and it's my fault. I didn't realize it. I didn't see it coming." explained Dante and shortly afterwards felt Nero's hands on his coat that held him.

"What have you done?" He looked at the blue wings over Nero's shoulder before looking into the boy's eyes.

"Nothing and that's the problem. I didn't realize anything about my twin. I didn't see anything." Dante felt guilty, had he known about Vergil's feelings beforehand, he could have dealt with them. How bad must it have bothered his brother to overhear what he and Grue were doing every night? How must he have felt in the perfect little family that Nero had? His brother must have been lonely and he hadn't noticed. What a foolish little brother he was.

And now his brother was gone and there was nothing more he could do. He didn't have a Yamato to cut dimensions with. He had no such power. His brother was now lost forever.

"Damn it! I said you shouldn't fight each other anymore. I said I don't want to lose my family and what happens? My father just disappears!" Nero let go of him and he just watched the boy stomp back into the Devil May Cry. Dante himself didn't know what to do now.

"Let's go after him, let's tell the others, maybe they can help." Grues encouraging words and Dante just nodded. He had lost the mood to continue celebrating, he had just passed so much that he just submitted to his friend.

* * *

Vergil knew the place where he had appeared. Yamato really had taken him to another place, another time. He was standing next to his own little corpse, a boy of just eight years old, Yamato lying splintered beside him. He had his own sword securely in his hand, his Yamato was whole. The house was on fire in front of him, he saw it on the top of the playground. The rest of the demons that were here avoided him, they knew he was stronger.

"Dante ..." he uttered this one word with longing. Thanks to Dante's story, he knew where his brother was hiding, he would save him from this house. He would make sure that they would never be alone again. He started running, and finally teleported forward.

"Dante ..." this word again what drove him when he got to the house. Mother's corpse was right next to the entrance, the demons had caught her as Dante had told him.

He stepped over the corpse, made his way to the second floor, into Dante's room. There was the cupboard, only a beam had come loose from the ceiling and blocked it. His brother would never make it out that way. So he cut it with his sword, waited until the dust had loosened and finally opened the cupboard.

"Who are you?" hoarse coughing words from his younger brother.

"Call me V." Again he couldn't think of anything better and he just didn't have time for. The flames came closer and closer and he had to get his little brother out. He took off his coat, wrapped Dante in it and finally took him tightly in his arms, he would jump out the window.

"Hold on tight and close your eyes." Right now he was glad that he now looked different, no longer like his younger twin, his Dante. One look at the window, he took a run and shortly afterwards he jumped and transformed himself half to land safely thanks to his wings, which he made to disappear again shortly afterwards.

"You are now safe Dante." Vergil looked down at his little brother, he looked so thin. So fragile.

"Where is mother and my brother? How do you know my name?" quickly many words that only made Dante cough again and he clicked his tongue.

"Save your voice, you've inhaled a lot of smoke. I'm a family friend ... and as for your mother and brother ... I don't know where they are." He lied to him. But he knew if he didn't, it would break Dante's heart. Dante had always a too big heart.

"Will ... will ... we look for them both?" He clicked his tongue again as he just started walking, away from the fire, away from his past.

"If you are strong enough for it." he said nothing more as he continued to hug his brother tightly. He also took a different route that Dante would definitely not see his younger self or his mother. He wanted to spare him and himself the pain.

He would first find a safe hiding place for both of them and then he would take over his brother's education. He would be there for him in a way he hadn't been then, as Father had never been for either of them. He would protect his little brother. From everything and everyone.


	2. do not give up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually I wanted to write a chapter elsewhere today, but that got stuck in between. Hope you all have a nice Christmas! Have fun reading and stay healthy!

Dante fell asleep in his arms from exhaustion, but that didn't prevent Vergil from looking for a place to stay for his little brother and himself. As far as he could remember, there was an old cabin deep in the woods surrounding their property. He and Dante discovered them as children. It was really ages ago, but maybe only a few months for this Dante. He didn't know exactly anymore, but it didn't matter when he finally found the hut. At least it would be enough for his needs today, after Dante had recovered he would look for a better place. When he opened the door, he was glad that the hats were at least still habitable. The cabin must have belonged to a hunter who had been hunting in the forest for a few days before he left for home. He put Dante down on the single bed and covered him up with his coat and a blanket that he found here, a little riddled with moths, but it would be enough for today.

Vergil himself would just renounce sleep as always, he was not so susceptible that he had to sleep every day. But there was one more thing he had to do when he looked out the window, he had to get Rebellion out of their house, and he also wanted to collect Yamato's fragments, neither should fall into the wrong hands. If he remembered the incidents in Fortuna, he didn't want the artificial Angelos to be created, he didn't want any Angelos to exist at all. So, no matter how difficult it was for him, he left Dante behind. He would hurry up and before Dante noticed he would be back. Luckily, the rain that set in didn’t make his return trip difficult, simply returning to the house in his Devil Trigger was done quickly.

Only when he went to check on his mother again did he see that her dead body had apparently been dragged away, the same as when he got to his own little corpse. They where nowhere to be found and the trail ended abruptly on both. Strangely enough the questions, Yamato were still there and when he collected the splinter and then he went into the house to fetch Rebellion. Vergil felt his brother's sword and it was an easy one to find. With both weapons in his luggage, he returned to the hut just as swiftly and that was just in time when little Dante woke up because of a nightmare.

"Mother! No, don't go! I'm scared!" he screamed and Vergil just sat down on the bed and stroked little Dante's back as he instinctively clung to the first thing he found.

"Nothing will happen to you Dante." he noticed how little hands clung to his vest and a sob from his brother which quickly turned into a heartbreaking cry.

"Vergil ... Vergil ... my brother …" stuttered words that made Vergil draw a thin line on his lips.

Was it the same for his Dante then? Had he suffered like that? He hadn't really had time for it himself, because he was almost always haunted by demons. Sleeping, fleeing, organizing food somewhere and fighting, these were his daily routines for years until he was strong enough not to flee. After that he had made sure that his pursuers lost track and he had devoted himself to his studies. He'd been so obsessed with wanting power that he'd forgotten everything else. He had been such a fool, he had been so taken with himself. Now over 40 years old, he saw some of his mistakes even if he didn't regret them. He knew how to do better. For example, he would never part with Dante as he had then.

"Vergil ..." his little brother howled bitterly and he stroked his head as tenderly as he could.

  
At some point the crying got quieter and he was really happy about it, he didn't know how to deal with it. Emotions were still pretty new to him, he had denied them for so long that V didn't have enough time to catch up on everything. He just knew that he didn't like seeing his brother cry like that.

"Better?" he asked when Dante was finally very calm and took his hand away from his back and looked at him.

"You're not leaving me are you?" what a naive childlike question.

"No, at most for a few hours if it can't be avoided." he wasn't about to leave his brother unattended. He knew what it would lead to if he let Dante grow up alone. His brother had told him a lot in Hell, and later Lady and Trish had told him a lot too. Just despite the fact that he knew it, it hadn't made him stay. It was better that way, at least that's what he told himself.

"That ... is allowed ..." Dante said softly and he nodded. "But ... how do you know from us?" his brother could ask really intelligent questions.

"From your father. I was a friend." His answer wasn't entirely a lie, but he wouldn't go into it in more detail.

"Do you know where father is?" Vergil shook his head gently, he had heard only vague rumors all these years in hell, but he had never found anything concrete.

"No." Dante fell silent again and finally peeled off his vest and lay back in bed properly again and pulled the covers over his head. Vergil himself just sat next to his brother and stared out the window, he would keep watch here.

* * *

"It's my fault, Grue, if I had only known what was going on in Vergil, I could have prevented it." Dante paced up and down in front of his bed, which he shared with Grue and Grue only watched him from the bed.

"Come to bed, we've all been talking about it for the last few hours. What your brother has set in his head, he'll go through with it." He knew what his friend was talking about. Lady had held it against him, Trish, and even Nero. The remaining guests had kept a low profile on the subject and preferred to remain silent or do something else.

"But if I had known that my brother loves me and that it burdens him ..." Dante would have tried to talk to him about it. To explain to him that this special place in his heart belonged to Grue, that he loved his brother but never that way. He hadn't even thought of that until ... until Vergil kissed him and confronted him with it.

"Let's try to accept his decision." conciliatory words from Grue and Dante glared at him for a moment.

"What do you mean? Should I just give him up!" he hissed at him and he only saw Grue raise his hands apologetically.

"No, but try to come down for the moment. The ladies are browsing their books and Morrison is asking around. You mustn't drive yourself crazy with it." Grue tried his best and Dante threw himself in his bed and buried his head in the pillow.

Dante sighed loudly before turning and snuggling up to Grue. "I hate that. My brother lives there after all these years and after a few months I'll lose him again." He found his life unfair, especially because he also knew that Nero and Kyrie actually wanted to say something to Vergil later on he evening. His brother became a grandpa and he would miss that now if he wasn't here with them. Maybe he shouldn't have kept this little secret to himself, Nero had slipped it out a few weeks ago and since then he had kept him silent. Just if maybe he hadn't, who knows, maybe his brother would still be with them. Maybe he would have found meaning in his life as a grandpa?

"So Vergil never finds out that he is going to be a grandpa ..." he grumbled to himself and sighed again, put an arm around Grue and pulled him closer.

"Maybe he'll come back. Or we can find a way to bring him back, only now you should sleep." Grue caressed his cheek tenderly and he felt his tension slowly ease. How the pain slowly became less in his heart.

"I'm glad I have you. I just wish my brother had found someone like that in the last few months." But in his brother's words, there was only one person for Vergil and he did not returns his brother's feelings.

Unfortunately, he didn't get the sleep he wanted. He waited until Grue was deep asleep and slipped out of her room. Go down to his office and sit behind his desk. He stared at his mother's picture and opened one of the drawers. This was where he had hidden Vergil's birthday present. A picture with Vergil, Nero and him. He unwrapped it and put it next to his mother's picture. Nico had taken the picture when she and Nero came over to visit. It had been funny two weeks, he had the feeling that Nero and Vergil had slowly warmed up with each other. It just seemed that none of this had helped. Dante could fully understand why Nero was currently so angry. After more than 20 years he finally found his family and soon afterwards some of them disappeared into another dimension, who would be happy about it?

He simply crossed his arms on the desk and laid his head on it, just stared at the two pictures and that until his vision became blurred and sleep caught up with him at some point.

* * *

The next day broke and little Dante had rolled up to Vergil in his sleep, simply clung to him again. Vergil himself had fallen into a relaxing meditation, he hadn't moved for the last few hours. He hadn't wanted to risk waking Dante, only slowly when he felt the rays of the sun on his skin, he opened his eyes and looked down at Dante. It was time they left the place. Who knows if Mundus wouldn't send a search party for Dante? Who knows if he wasn't around and looking for Dante? The amulet from Sparda hung clearly recognizable around Dante's neck, who knows whether Mundus didn't want the second half? Who knows what Mundus would do with it? Who knows if he couldn't get more power with it?

He had to make sense of the world, he had to find out how strong this Mundus was. With his current strength he was theoretically stronger than Mundus. But who told him how the balance of power was here? Given how weak his little ego had been, it hadn't been able to defend itself and Dante hadn't fled the closet to survive. Some conditions in the world seemed to be different, he had to understand them in order to be able to use them. Especially if he wanted to ensure permanent security for Dante.

"Dante? It's time we have to move on." He did not shy away from a fight, but he did not want to put his brother in unnecessary danger. Vergil felt how slowly movement came into the child's body and looked at him, his gaze somehow wandered back to the window.

"How ... what?" his brother sounded sleepy, but when he looked up at him, he noticed how Dante realized that everything he had experienced yesterday hadn't been a bad dream.

"My brother, my mother, we have to look for them!" Vergil shook his head and got up from the bed, stretching himself briefly before going to Rebellion and holding the sword out to his brother.

"You have to become more mature for it. You are currently no help in finding them. You have to become stronger, you have to learn to defend yourself." the words may sound cold and merciless. But he only wanted the best for Dante.

"You have to learn to fight, you have to think of yourself first in the case before you want to help others." he continued and saw how Dante glared at him angrily.

"I know how to fight!" he yelled at him and Vergil twisted his lips into a small smile.

"If that were the case, you would not have hidden yourself in the closet. Eva must have advised you, but you would have died in it if I had not saved you. You have to learn to defend yourself. Only then you are a help." were his final words and he saw how Dante snatched the sword from his hand and attacked him. His brother should take his anger and grief out on him, but he would not tolerate it forever.

"You have to concentrate, a pointless attack is useless." he said as he dodged slightly.

Little Dante only growled at him as he jumped off the bed and pounced on Vergil. He just kept dodging at the last second. "That's unfair!" whined Dante and he just looked at his brother and sighed.

"No, that's what I was trying to explain to you. In your current state, you cannot kill the demons who were responsible for the attack on your house." Dante couldn't avenge his mother and brother like this and Vergil knew only too well what it felt like. That's why he knelt down in front of Dante and put a hand on Dante's cheek.

"I know what it is like to feel powerless. But I also know that something can be done about it." His brother had drawn his strength from his friends and from all his experiences. He had never let himself get down, even if he had often been about to give up. There was just no giving up in the vocabulary for Spardas. His eternal hunger for power, Dante's inner strength that had always driven him to continue, no matter what losses he had suffered. Spardas did not give up.

"You will have to learn a lot, but if you do, I promise you we will and can avenge the demon who is responsible for the attack." and by the time Dante was ready, he would be his mentor and his family. Together they would confront and defeat Mundus. Until then he would hopefully know how strong Mundus was in this world and where he was thinking of Trish ... Who knows if Mundus wouldn't also create Trish here, the body of his little ego was missing too … They also had to prepare for this.

Little Dante looked up at him and nodded after a while. "I want to get stronger." a really good insight from Dante as Vergil found.

"I'll take care of it then, but it'll be years before you're ready." Dante opened his mouth and closed it again, nodded.

"Understood, I'll do my best." Vergil rose again and stroked his head gently, straightening a few stray strands of Dante's hair. "Then let's go." his words as he put on his coat again.

"We need a location that offers everything we need. I think I also know where to find the place." He knew of a place that had been a home for Dante, he would look for this place and make it a home for this little Dante too.

But first he would have to take care of mundane matters, he saw his brother shiver and his brother needed food and so did he. To do this, they had to get money, so his next stop would be a bank and he would get money there ... Then he could think of another plan.


	3. a solution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that it took a little longer. I wanted to write here often, but something else kept coming up. I also had to think about where the story should go, or rather in what way I would like to tell it. (At the beginning I hadn't thought so much about it, which is why I had to do it now.)
> 
> For myself I have found a good solution I think. I hope you like them too. I will only tell excerpts here, sometimes a day or two more precisely, until I will jump a little further. At least up to a certain point, from which point things will slow down again.  
> But now, have fun reading!

Vergil hadn't used a very legal way of getting money. Threatening someone from behind with Yamato so that he would give him all his money and the credit card with the pin, as if Vergil was doing this for the first time. The person could be glad that he just knocked him unconscious and didn't take his life. Even when he was little, he stole. Food and clothing were necessary things that even a half-demon needed when he was on the run from demons. Then he had withdrawn all the money from the bank, he was very satisfied with the amount, it would last for a few weeks. Now he was picking up Dante again, he had dropped him off in a near small cafe so that the boy could get something to eat. There he had explained to him his plan to get some money. At least he had told him he would go to the bank and withdraw money there. Something in him had kept him from taking Dante along and stealing from people in front of his eyes. Now he went back into the cafe and found Dante sitting in a corner who hadn't really touched his breakfast.

"You hardly ate anything. I told you to eat something." he sat down across from Dante and turned his chair so that he could keep an eye on the exit. At the moment he didn't feel any demons nearby, that's why he had left Dante here, but that could change at any time.

"I'm not hungry." mumbled words from his little brother and he sighed.

"You have to eat something Dante. We still have a busy day ahead of us, so you need your breakfast so you can regain your strength." he taught him and stared at him until Dante grabbed a bread and he started eating it.

"I took care of the money for now, next we'll buy you new clothes and then we'll see where we'll be staying for the next few days. I have to do some research and call some people." If he were in his dimension, he would have no problems with money. He had made enough preparations from the time he worked with Arkham.

Would Arkham be a problem here, too? Would he also kill his wife in a few years and try to sacrifice his daughter to become a god? This time he wasn't going to side with Arkham. Vergil had other responsibilities and he no longer needed that power. But if he tried to approach him somehow, he would make short work of him. He had to see how that would fit into his future plans, maybe he would even save Mary voluntarily if he felt like it.

"Have eaten enough V." Vergil looked back at his little brother and sighed inwardly, just two slices of bread. Not a lot.

"Then finish your drink, then we'll go." He himself got up once to pay, then waited for Dante to come to his side before they left the cafe together.

* * *

"Dante?" Grue slowly woke him up but he didn't move, he felt completely tense and still tired.

"When did you come down here? You could have woken me up." Dante heard Grue take the stairs down and put a hand gently on his shoulder as he stopped next to him.

"Could you not sleep?" gently the words of his friend and Dante slowly opened his eyes and looked at the picture he had put up before he fell asleep.

"No, I couldn't stand it in bed." Dante didn't look at Grue, just stared at the picture with his brother, himself and Nero. He hadn't slept particularly well, but could he be blamed for that?

"We'll get him back, have trust." Greetings and he sighed and just got up from his chair. "Arg." damn he was tense, he noticed it when he stretched and heard the crack in the neck. Maybe he should at least have thrown himself on the sofa, would have been more comfortable.

"I should be used to it, shouldn't I? Didn't hear from Vergil for ten years, just so that he would fall to hell after we fight. After that he was Nelo Angelo and I killed him, or at least I thought so. Only until it got that far it was another Eternity." Dante laughed dryly and sounded really desperate at his words.

"And then the whole thing with V and Urizen, with that stupid tree. Not to forget Nero's arm. I really thought it would be better after that, after the trip with Vergil to hell." Dante rubbed his eyes vigorously.

"You know, Grue? I'm fed up with him. Should he stay where he is. I just don't want to worry about my brother anymore." at least he tried to convince himself that he didn't want to have anything more to do with his brother.

At least Dante could tell himself that for a whole month. Every damn day he tried to convince himself that he didn't care about Vergil. Trish and Lady had no news for him anyway, even Morrison's contacts couldn't find out anything. A month turned into half a year and he had started drinking regularly again, even Grue couldn't stop him even though he tried. In his head he went over the last conversation with Vergil almost every day. Only he always came to the same conclusion that he would have had to give up Grue to keep Vergil with him. But that wasn't the solution. He got out of the shower and dried himself off poorly. Dante had just returned from a demon hunt. He needed sleep, almost three days without sleep were exhausting even for him. Even if it happened quite often recently that he slept little.

When he got to his bedroom, which he shared with Grue, did he see a letter lying on his bed? He was home alone, who left him there? 'To Dante' was on one side and he knew this font from somewhere ... when he finally opened the letter and took out the note and stared at the text, he knew how. The letter was from his brother.

_Dante, I don't know if the letter will reach you. I just wanted to let you know, I'm fine. I'm very happy where I am._

_I've found a task that challenges me and where I'm not out of place._   
_Since you are certainly wondering how the letter is possible. Our blood also connects us across different dimensions._

_Adding Yamato and the same anchor point, it was easy to handle._   
_I don't know how much time has passed Dante. There are some things I'm not sure about yet, I'm still doing research._   
_I'll try to write to you again soon._   
_Until then._

_Your brother Vergil_

Dante just read the letter several times and then just started laughing and crying at the same time. That was so typical of his brother. He found a solution for everything and he himself on the other side was without there. But at least he knew that his brother was alive. He felt really relieved about it. Damn it, he wanted a sword like Yamato too. Only with that would he go to Vergil and drag him back here. It's nice and good that his big brother was fine there, but here was his family ... Or did they mean nothing to him? Did he mean anything to his brother at all? He shouldn't worry about that. His brother was happier where he was, he had found meaning in his life. Was he really trying to ruin it by forcing him to come back here again?

No, he didn't want to force him to. but he wanted to try to communicate with him. Somehow they would manage it here, it just had to be like that! He jumped out of bed and rushed into his office. Dante had to call Trish and the rest, he had a new destination in mind!

* * *

"V, I'm done!" little Dante called for him and he got up from his papers and went to him.

"I painted everything in red as I wanted it to be." They moved into the building two weeks ago and were renovating it together. He had Dante set up his own room. Furniture, lighting and even the walls - his little brother was allowed to determine everything.

"That looks really good. You deserve a break. Open the window and come down, when the paint is dry we'll move your furniture." Thanks to a few very good investments and a few deals on the black market, he had amassed enough capital very quickly to buy the building. He had also taken care of identification documents for himself and Dante, had his own accounts created and everything else that was necessary. Anthony and Vitale Redgrave. He had just sold Dante that it would be easier if they lived undercover.

"V, tomorrow we will paint your room, or will you leave it white?" he hadn't bought any paint before for his room. So far there have only been a bed, wardrobe and bedside table in there. So far he had only thought of the bare essentials. Down here was a desk, on the wall a large bookcase and a sofa on which Dante spent a lot of time.

"I didn't buy any paint. But maybe later, we just have to finish assembling the furniture down here that will come into your room. Besides, a day would be good when you are not covered in paint." He was glad that his little brother had got used to him quickly. They also made progress with his training. But now and then Dante had refused because he had insisted he was ready enough to take on the demons. In the three months since saving him, Dante had really gotten better, but he was still a kid. That's why he had shown him that again by defeating him.

His brother had pouted the rest of the day, only crawling into his bed at night because he didn't want to sleep alone. Vergil just couldn't bring himself to push Dante away. So despite the fact that Dante had his own bed, he spent the nights with him. Mostly he would tell him a few more stories, most of which Dante would fall asleep. But sometimes the boy had asked questions too, including one night. When Dante asked Vergil what his real name was. 'Vitale' was his answer.

Dante preferred to stay with V, was much shorter and didn't sound so strange to his brother. "Are you going to hunt demons again later?" Dante asked when he threw himself on the sofa and looked at him. In the meantime he was sitting behind his desk again and went through a few documents.

"Not today. Word has to get around that there is now such a business that specializes in demon removal." he explained, looking at the document with the name of his building. He had found the name really fitting as a reminder of his brother whom he had left behind. He really hoped the letter would arrive. The cut that he had made with Yamato to swing the dimension up, had long healed.

"The Devil May Cry will surely get around soon. Then we will get very rich! We can order food and ... and train every day." he looked at Dante and got up, sat down next to him and stroked his head.

"Yes, I think so, the name should attract a lot of attention." only Vergil would make sure that neither of them would ever be in arrears. He wasn't going to do that.

"Only we will do more than just train here. Here we will research, educate ourselves and prepare for the demons who have attacked your house. It should also be a home for you." Vergil wanted Dante to feel safe and comfortable here. He shouldn't be forced to travel from one place to another like he used to. His brother shouldn't end up like he did when he was young. Don't be obsessed with the thought that power was everything. Dante shouldn't repeat his mistakes.

Dante leaned against him and finally made himself comfortable with his head on his lap, so his little brother often dozed while he was reading a book. "So exhausted Dante? You didn't want me to help you with your room." Dante had wanted to do it alone, he had let him do it.

"A little. V, I'm glad you saved me." his little brother closed his eyes and fell asleep. He himself stroked his head gently.

"I'm happy too, little brother." Quietly his words and Vergil just swore again that he would do everything so that Dante would be happy here.


	4. time passes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for you, it took longer again. A lot came up, including some of my other stories. But you now have a chapter for that. This time all Vergil and little Dante. Dante and Grue are backing a little this time.

Another month had passed and Vergil took a closer look at the Devil May Cry, which had now been completely renovated and furnished. He was very happy with the result. The bathroom was state-of-the-art, Dante's and his room was completely furnished and painted, even his own in royal blue, Dante had insisted. Vergil hadn't been able to refuse him, so a few days after Dante's room had finished they went shopping again to buy paint for him. But he was particularly satisfied with the lower part, the office. It made a serious and neat impression, very different from what he was used to from the Devil May Cry. Two filing cabinets on the wall, the large bookshelf, which was now more full than before, a large writing table, the sofa and he had even managed to find a jukebox. Somehow he had become nostalgic when he saw her, he had to think of his Dante. He missed him, but he still wouldn't return, he still had to take care of little Dante after all.

Not to forget a fully functional kitchen, a furnished living room and even in the attic he had made space and already made provision for files that were no longer needed there at some point. Or old furniture, or whatever could be found for it. There was probably no untidy room in the whole building if you ignored little Dante's. Dante could never really learn to clean up, although the little one was far better than the big Dante so far. There was just clothes lying around, no alcohol or pizza cartoons. He didn't want to picture the whole chaos, how his brother would have let the premises go to waste if he didn't have Grue. Vergil shuddered at the thought that the DMC would probably be just as messy and dirty as hell.

But he didn't have to worry about that anymore, he wouldn't allow himself to go to hell so easily only to clean up there. One thing he was researching was beginning to bear fruit. He got closer to Nell Goldstein, his brother had told him in hell again the story of where he got his two pistols. He wanted to work with the gunsmith while she was still alive. He also wanted to get weapons from her for his little brother. So far he has made no move to complain, only to practice with Rebellion or without weapons at all, only he wanted the best for little Dante. He didn't need pistols himself to perfect his fighting style, but they should be good for the little one later. Whereby of course there was also the possibility that the little one could have no interest in it. There were still so many unexplained things that he had to get to the bottom of.

One thing he was also researching was, where did Mundus get from Wind that they lived in Redgrave? From what human or demon did Mundus find out about it? It hadn't been an unplanned attack, it was targeted. He wanted to find this traitor and execute him. Somebody had to be responsible and he had promised Dante they would find the culprit, oh and he would find them.

A small smirk formed in his face and briefly he gave himself up to the thought of what power he had here in the world. He was over thirty years ahead in power, he was now at least as strong as Mundus, not even stronger since he was not weakened like him. Uh it was really tempting now to challenge his luck and fight him. He could go to Fortuna and activate the demon portal there, or he could set up Temen-ni-gru. But he did not do it. He wouldn't succumb to the temptation, he knew by now that this price was way too high for him. If he had grabbed his brother's hand at the tower, if he had let himself be saved, who knows if he would have had a chance at his heart then. Or if he had come to him earlier and stayed. He had known exactly where his brother was, but he had been too hungry for power that he had suppressed his true feelings and the reason for it all. Had he ...

"V ..." Dante got him out of his thoughts and he looked beside him. Little Dante stood next to him and looked up at him.

"What is?" was his question to him and the little one started to grin and nudged him.

"You promised me we'd play catch, it's your turn!" called Dante and ran away from him. Vergil had to laugh briefly as he watched the little one try to hide quickly. They had set up extra rules for this, Dante was allowed to use all of his abilities that he had and Vergil himself none at all and for that he had to wait at least a minute until he was allowed to go afterwards. How did Dante mean that? So it's fair.

Dante had always liked to make the rules as he wanted, even then, but he found it a good opportunity to playfully train with the boy so that Dante could sharpen his senses. Vergil was secretly waiting for the next rule change from the boy, be it blindfolded or hands tied behind the back. Neither would really bother him or hinder him much. But he insisted on one rule, Dante was not allowed to leave the building. He had distributed protective sigils throughout the house, they would keep demons away and warn them if his senses should fail. He hadn't practiced magic in ages, the last time it was with Arkham because of the tower. But he thought it was important because of Dante.

Instead of announcing that he would look for Dante now, he just went on his way. There were enough demons who silently hunted their prey and wanted to kill, he would such a mime. That at his age he even condescends to play such children's games ... he did it for Dante. His Dante would probably laugh at him if he saw that or tear one of his great sayings ... Would he have played such games with Nero back then? If he hadn't been so power-hungry, would he have stayed longer in Fortuna instead of so briefly because of his research? Would he have noticed that he had fathered a son? Again too many thoughts that he wasted on a past that he couldn't change anyway. He would rather concentrate on finding Dante in the here and now. At least he could shape this future as he wanted. That's why he now set off to find Dante.

Later that evening, Dante was lying on the sofa in the office and was already asleep. Vergil himself had just written a few letters that he would take to the post office tomorrow, one of them to Nell, after he finally knew where she was currently living, he didn't want to waste any time. A second letter was addressed to his brother. He didn't really know what to write about. At least it was difficult for him to tell him about little Dante, and that Vergil had seen his own little corpse and that of her mother. Vergil didn't know how Dante would handle it. He himself had been shaken to find her mother dead, he had wondered in the last few months if he could have saved her somehow. He clicked his tongue, he didn't want to think about it again, so he conjured Yamato to his side. He also had to repair the broken second Yamato somehow, maybe Nell could help him with the subject. Vergil had no desire to wait over twenty years until her granddaughter was old enough and who told him that Nicoletta would do this job in this world?

He was just reciting the spell he had last used to create a rift in space and time with Yamato when he sensed demons nearby. He quickly concentrated on finishing the spell, cut his left palm to make a connection and watched with satisfaction as a small crack opened. It was good that he had acquired the Devil May Cry here, one more anchor point that was the same. With his right hand he grabbed the letter and threw it through the gap, briefly catching a glimpse of his brother's writing desk before the gap closed again.

"What was that?" asked Dante, apparently he had woken up because demons were approaching, he couldn't blame him. "Magic. I'll teach you when you're older."

Vergil saw Dante nod, but he didn't move from the sofa. They hadn't had any demons in town for over a month, they were probably scared because of him. He found it astonishing that some dared to come here. Maybe Mundus had already noticed him or one of his generals, he was curious if it would be the case.

"You stay here, take Rebellion and take care of the Devil May Cry. I'll rely on that, Dante." was his instruction to the boy who swallowed, nodded and quickly ran up to his room to get his sword. He would teach him how to call it later, but that had time. He also knew that Dante was safe here, his presence should hide that of Dante too.

"I'm ready. Do... do you hurry up, V?" asked Dante and he heard fear. So he went to the boy and stroked his hair.

"Of course. The demons should hardly be work." Dante nodded and slender small arms hugged him before Dante pulled away from him again.

"See you soon." Dante muttered and he nodded again, shortly afterwards he opened the door to check on the demons.

Once outside, he rose into the air in his Devil Trigger form, he didn't want the demons to come close to their home. In the distance he saw them and a portal behind them, he was really very curious which demon had made it possible for them to come here. There weren't many demons who could create portals of themselves. Only this demon he saw he didn't know at all. He was estimated to be three to four meters tall, had four arms and an animal head. He carried a saber in each of his two hands, a red magical orb in the other, and a scepter in the last free hand. It reminded him of ancient Hindu legends that speak of Rakshasa demons. Was he dealing with such a demon?

Vergil approached the demon cautiously, landed and dropped his Devil Trigger.

"This is my city, who dares to disturb my peace?" his tone wasn't exactly very nice. But he didn't care.

"Xorgmogas." the demon called his name, which was accompanied by lower known demons.

"Never heard of you. Why are you here?" the demon growled at Vergil, only he left it cold, much more likely he pulled Yamato and took care of the smaller demons that attacked him. The Rakshasa growled and attacked itself, leaving the gate unguarded which Vergil noticed. Unwise, but he would not teach the demon now, as expected, he only presented a minimal challenge for him when he finally separated two of the four arms from the body with Yamato.

"Are you talking now?" Xorgmogas withdrew slowly to the portal, but Vergil was faster, blocked the exit by triggering again and was flying in the air at eye level.

"The master ordered destroy and find the child. He wants him." said the demon, and Vergil cut off one arm again.

"The name, is it Mundus?" Xorgmogas whimpered and made himself small, tried to crawl before Vergil.

"Yes." he brought out and that was all Vergil needed to know. He efficiently killed the demon and watched the portal close.

Mundus knew that Dante was alive, but he didn't know who was protecting the boy. Since Xorgmogas had been powerful enough to build a portal, he had classified Vergil as powerful, but not how powerful he was. Vergil had to laugh uncontrollably for a moment, landed there and collected the orb and the scepter what the demon had left behind. He would probably have to deal with demons more often in the future if Mundus didn't wait and see. Vergil would let it come his way. But now he hurried back to Dante, was glad when everything still seemed fine from outside at the Devil May Cry. Unlocking the door he was attacked inside by Dante who tried to hit him with Rebellion.

"Quiet, it's me." he said as he dodged. The boy had gotten faster from training, but still not a challenge.

"V!" Dante called the next moment, dropping Rebellion and throwing himself into his arms.

Vergil caught the boy and hugged him. He noticed how Dante was trembling and he heard him sniffing.

"It's all good. As I said, it wasn't a major threat." with the words he sat down on the sofa and continued to hold the boy tightly.

"I ... I was scared ... what if ... then I would be alone ..." Dante stammered rightly and V sighed and rubbed Dante's back gently.

"It takes more to kill me, Dante, I don't die that easily." He also knew about dying and coming back to the realm of the living. He didn't intend to repeat it here.

"Now it's time to sleep." Dante continued to cling to him, Vergil simply got up with him. Put the orb and scepter on his desk on the way to the apartment.

"Can I .. sleep with you? Do you read something to me? Mom, always read something to me when I couldn't sleep or my brother ..." Dante stammered on and Vergil looked at him, nodded. The boy rarely talked about his brother or his mother, mostly only when he was desperate like now.

"Of course I'll read something to you. But you get ready for bed on your own, like me. Then you can come to me, we'll read the book from last time on." soothing words from Vergil who put the boy on his own feet upstairs.

Dante quickly disappeared into the room, he himself went to the bathroom because he didn't want to smell of any demons, then put on his night clothes and in his room he found Dane with a fairy tale book by the Grimm brothers. Dante had chosen the fairy tale collection when they went shopping and he had bought them for him.

"So where were we. Ah yes. Hansel and Gretel." he saw where his bookmark had been, shifted around in bed and waited until Dante was snuggled up against him.

"A poor wood chopper lived with his wife and two children in front of a large forest ..." he began to read and looked at Dante who had half closed his eyes, he was probably still processing the loss of his family. But when he thought about where he continued reading to Dante, even he wasn't over the loss of his mother and Dante had never been either. Unfortunately, some wounds never recovered, they just became more bearable.

But at least Vergil seemed to be able to give little Dante support where he continued to watch him while reading and finally noticed how his breathing became calmer and Dante fell asleep. Vergil flipped his bookmark and put the book aside. Slid back and forth carefully for a moment, finally turned off the light, then just pulled Dante closer into his arms. Tomorrow he would take care of the orb and the scepter, as well as the other things he still had to deal with. This included Dante's training, the boy should learn to take care of himself as early as possible. Safe was safe ... but now he tried to find rest himself and with time he also succeeded and even a peaceful sleep for his circumstances.


End file.
